Summary
Certegy Inc. reported its third-quarter and nine-month results for the period ended September 30, 2005. The company saw revenue growth driven by its Card Services segment, up 11.4% in the quarter and 11.9% year-to-date, supported by strong performance in North America and international markets. Check Services also contributed to revenue growth, albeit at a slower pace. A significant event highlighted in the report is the proposed merger with Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS), announced in September 2005. This strategic move aims to combine operations to form a larger, publicly traded entity. The company also incurred substantial merger and acquisition (M&A) costs during the period, impacting operating income. Furthermore, Certegy is exploring a joint venture in Brazil, which could further reshape its international presence. Financially, Certegy demonstrated solid operating cash flow generation, though net income saw a decrease in the third quarter due to M&A costs and the sale of its merchant acquiring business, which resulted in a significant gain in the second quarter. The company also continued its practice of returning capital to shareholders through dividends and maintained a share repurchase program.
Key Highlights
- 1Consolidated revenues increased by 7.7% to $282.8 million for the third quarter of 2005 compared to the prior year, driven by strong performance in the Card Services segment.
- 2Announced a definitive merger agreement with Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) in September 2005, which will combine the companies to form a new publicly traded entity.
- 3Incurred $7.0 million in Merger and Acquisition (M&A) costs during the third quarter of 2005 related to the proposed merger and potential Brazilian joint venture.
- 4Completed the sale of its merchant acquiring business, recognizing a gain of $45.4 million (pre-tax) in the second quarter and $3.0 million in the third quarter of 2005.
- 5Card Services operating income increased by 2.6% to $36.7 million in the third quarter, while Check Services operating income saw a significant increase of 22.6% to $18.4 million.
- 6Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations decreased to $0.36 in the third quarter from $0.41 in the prior year, largely due to M&A costs.
- 7The company continues to manage its balance sheet effectively, with $105.3 million in consolidated cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2005.